Saint Simon
1631
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 13.7 × 8.8 cm (5 3/8 × 3 7/16 in.) sheet: 19.2 × 14 cm (7 9/16 × 5 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
R.L. Baumfeld Collection
Accession Number
1969.15.637
Art Historical Context
Jacques Callot's *Saint Simon* (1631) is a exquisite etching capturing the apostle Simon the Zealot, one of Christ's twelve disciples, rendered with the artist's signature intricacy. Created during the Baroque era amid the religious fervor of Counter-Reformation Europe, this small-scale print (plate: .7 × 8.8 cm) reflectsot's deep engagement with sacred subjects. A leading French printmaker associated with the Medici court in, Callot produced this as part of his renowned series of apostle etchings, blending spiritual devotion with masterful technical innovation. Etching on laid paper—a creamy...
About the Artist
Jacques Callot · 1592–1635
Jacques Callot (1592–1635) was a French printmaker and draftsman from the Duchy of Lorraine, widely regarded as one of the first great artists to practice the graphic arts exclusively. His more than 1,400 etchings chronicled the breadth of 17th-century life, from Medici court festivities to the brutal realities of warfare. Callot revolutionized etching through technical innovations including the é...